Lions Clubs Giving the Gift of Sight and Hope at the 2020 Rose Parade

The Lions Clubs International’s float for 2020. – Courtesy illustration / Lions Club

Hope is a small word that can leave a big imprint across the globe. Few know the “The Power of Hope,” the theme for this year’s Rose Parade presented by Honda, better than members of Lions Clubs International.

The “Hope for 20/20” float will debut during the parade on Jan. 1, 2020. It depicts a young lion cub and an owl wearing glasses while reading from The Book of Hope, with both realizing they can now see the world clearly thanks to the Lions club’s vision screening programs. Each year, Lions screen the vision of nearly 2 million children across America through the support of Lions KidSight USA Foundation.

As they have every year since 1992, Lions clubs’ members from around the world are gathering in Pasadena to share a message of hope, compassion and service by constructing a stunning and inspiring 35-foot float made from thousands of roses and other florals. This year’s float theme is “Hope for 20/20,” which speaks both to the New Year and vision health, one of Lions International’s global causes.

More than 1.1 billion people are visually impaired simply because they don’t have access to glasses or vision screenings. Ever since Helen Keller inspired Lions to champion vision in 1925, Lions in nearly 200 countries around the world have served and advocated for the blind and visually impaired. Nearly a century later, this longstanding mission continues.

“We have a long history of serving the blind and visually impaired and remain committed to continuing this mission into 2020 and beyond,” said Dr. Jung-Yul Choi, international president of Lions International. “We believe in the power of hope, and that there is no challenge we can’t overcome when we unite for good.”

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